Sport-scan daily brief

"I thought his game was fine," he said.

Defenceman Eric Grya was taken out for Joe Corvo in Ottawa's other roster switch.

"I thought that Gryba didn't skate as good as we need him to," said MacLean. "His game wasn't where we feel it should be.

"We don't want to leave a veteran player (Corvo) sitting there for a long time, either."

— Don Brennan

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.06.2013

719800 Ottawa Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs against rival Ottawa Senators in home opener at Air Canada Centre

By Terry Koshan ,Toronto Sun

First posted: Saturday, October 05, 2013 06:12 AM EDT | Updated: Saturday, October 05, 2013 06:27 AM EDT

TORONTO - The Maple Leafs play host to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night as the Battle of Ontario resumes for the 2013-14 season.

The Leafs will be going for their third consecutive win to start the season while the Sens are coming off their season opener, a shut-out victory in Buffalo on Friday night against the Sabres.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.06.2013

719801 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers: Too many penalties, too few goals

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Saturday, October 5, 2013, 11:47 PM

MONTREAL _ The Flyers have not scored an even-strength goal in the season’s first two games, which is why they are 0-2 and the coach’s hot seat is getting warmer by the shift.

They dropped a 4-1 decision in Montreal on Saturday night, a game in which they inexplicably were shorthanded for 14:07. Montreal was 2 for 9 on the power play.

“We’re not going to win many hockey games if we go to the box as much as we did tonight,” coach Peter Laviolette said.

Nor are they going to win many games when they manage just 12 even-strength shots. Twelve.

The Flyers have scored a total of two goals _ both on the power play _ while losing to Toronto and Montreal. They play in Carolina on Sunday at 5 p.m. and will try to avoid starting 0-3 for the second straight season.

Former Flyer Danny Briere, who is in his first year in Montreal, was held scoreless, but was smiling after the game.

"This was for bragging rights,” he said. “I got them tonight, but I know there will be other games down the road.”

Vinny Lecavalier scored his first goal as a Flyer. He was booed mercilessly every time he touched the puck. Montreal fans apparently think any French-Canadian who is a free agent should sign with the Habs.

"I felt sorry for Vinny, but I've been that guy,” Briere cracked.

Breakaways. Zac Rinaldo had six hits in 5:15….The Flyers were outshot, 34-23, including a 16-8 third-period margin….Ray Emery was the loser in his first start this season…..The Flyers won 51 percent of the faceoffs and outhit Montreal, 29-20…Lecavalier, Brayden Schenn and Mark Streit each have two points. All the other Flyers have zero.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.06.2013

719802 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Notes: Schenn starts on top line, Voracek on third

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Sunday, October 6, 2013, 2:02 AM

MONTREAL - For the second straight game, Brayden Schenn started on the Flyers' top line and Jake Voracek was on the third unit.

Schenn was with Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell as the Flyers faced Montreal on Saturday night, while Voracek - a top-line winger for most of last season - was with Sean Couturier and Max Talbot.

"They're two totally different players, obviously," said Hartnell, comparing Schenn and Voracek. "No offense to Brayden, but Jake is quicker, he gets to loose pucks. Brayden's good in the corners, and he's great in front of the net and going to the net. Not having many games with him, I think we can do better - obviously get more chemistry and hopefully it comes down the road."

With about 13 minutes left in the second period, and the Flyers offense scuffling, Voracek was reunited with Giroux and Hartnell.

Breakaways

The Flyers play in Carolina on Sunday at 5 p.m., and Laviolette gets to choose between goalies who have excelled against the Hurricanes. Ray Emery is 5-0 with two shutouts and has a 0.73 goals-against average vs. Carolina, and Steve Mason is 5-0 with a 1.80 GAA. . . . Hartnell on Ilya Bryzgalov's signing a tryout contract with Las Vegas in the ECHL: "Good for him. . . . I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up somewhere [in the NHL] this year."

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.06.2013

719803 Philadelphia Flyers

Canadiens drop Flyers to 0-2

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Sunday, October 6, 2013, 2:02 AM

MONTREAL - A quick whistle negated Matt Read's first-period goal Saturday night at the reverberating Bell Centre, but the Flyers can't point fingers at the referees after dropping a 4-1 decision to Danny Briere and the Montreal Canadiens.

Blame their anemic offense.

The Flyers, now 0-2 and without an even-strength goal, did not generate nearly as many chances as they did in the opener, and their attack looked feeble until Vinny Lecavalier scored a power-play goal midway through the third period.

"We didn't play a good game," captain Claude Giroux said. "We'll look at the video, and it has to change."

Every time the Flyers had some momentum, they seemed to take a penalty. Montreal was 2 for 9 on the power play.

"We're not going to win the game from the penalty box," winger Brayden Schenn said. "We have to be way more composed."

Lecavalier was booed loudly every time he touched the puck. Montreal fans, who booed Briere when he was a Flyer, apparently believe every French-Canadian who is a free agent should sign with the bleu, blanc, et rouge.

"I felt sorry for Vinny, but I've been that guy," Briere said.

Before Lecavalier scored on a rebound, the Flyers were 0 for 4 on the power play and 1 for 11 on the season.

Montreal took a 1-0 lead as Brian Gionta got position on defenseman Mark Streit and knocked a shot past Ray Emery from the doorstep with 11 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first period.

The Flyers appeared to tie it with about four minutes left in the opening period when Read converted a rebound of Streit's blast. But the refs thought goalie Carey Price had control of the puck and didn't realize it had gotten away from him.

Twelve seconds into the third period, the Canadiens made it 2-0 when Lars Eller deposited a backhander after retrieving a shot off the backboards. The Canadiens gained control at center ice - and took control in the offensive zone - after Wayne Simmonds slipped.

Brendan Gallagher scored on a five-on-three power play with 15 minutes left to increase the lead to 3-0.

The game marked the first time Briere faced his ex-teammates since the Flyers bought out his contract in the summer.

Briere, who turns 36 on Sunday, was in the Flyers' faces - and vice versa - on Saturday night.

The Flyers did a nice job containing Briere, who went to the penalty box in the first period for hooking his former Haddonfield housemate, Giroux. The Flyers could not convert the ensuing power play.

With Montreal on a power play late in the second period, Sean Couturier, another player who used to live with Briere, stole the puck from his ex-teammate and helped kill the advantage. In fact, it was the Flyers who had the best scoring chance, as Giroux made a slick move and broke in on Carey Price, who turned aside his backhander with 1:05 to go in the period.

Briere also was called for hooking Jake Voracek early in the third period. Again, the Flyers' power play stumbled. They had two shots in their first power play and none in their next three.

In two games, the Flyers have scored a total of two goals; they will try to rebound Sunday in Carolina. Another loss would make Peter Laviolette's team 0-3 for the second straight season.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.06.2013

719804 Philadelphia Flyers

Hartnell eager to face 'feisty' Briere tonight

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Saturday, October 5, 2013, 2:00 PM

MONTREAL _ Shortly after the Flyers arrived in Montreal on Friday, left winger Scott Hartnell said, one of the first things he saw was a huge billboard of his ex-teammate, Montreal’s Danny Briere.

“So he’s in your face,” Hartnell cracked on Saturday morning.

Briere, who turns 36 on Sunday, will be in the Flyers’ faces _ and vice versa _ on Saturday night when his Canadiens host the Flyers. The teams are 0-1, with each losing to Toronto.

Hartnell said he exchanged texts with Briere on Friday night.

“We miss Danny B. I’ve been playing with him for years and there was a great chemistry that he and I had,” Hartnell said. “…It’s going to be different seeing him in a Canadiens uniform, but after the first couple shifts, I’m sure it’s going to just be a regular game. When he has the puck, you’re going to finish your check and try to get him off the puck.”

Hartnell was asked if he expected to get into a scrum with Briere.

“I don’t know if I want to tangle with him or he doesn’t want to tangle with me,” said Hartnell, laughing. “He is a feisty little guy. He definitely goes to the hard areas to score goals…and we have to make sure when he’s on the ice, we’re aware of what he can do.”

In the season-opening 3-2 loss to Toronto on Wednesday, Brayden Schenn was on the top line instead of Jake Voracek. The line also includes Claude Giroux and Hartnell.

“They’re two totally different players, obviously,” said Hartnell, comparing Schenn and Voracek. “No offense to Brayden, but Jake is quicker, he gets to loose pucks. Brayden’s good in the corners, and he’s great in front of the net and going to the net. Not having many games with him, I think we can do better _ obviously get more chemistry and hopefully it comes down the road.”

Emery in goal. Goalie Ray Emery will make his season debut Saturday. Playing for the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks last season, he was 17-1 with a 1.94 GAA and finished seventh in the Vezina Trophy voting.

Trivia. In franchise history, the Flyers are 68-76-30-4 against Montreal. In franchise history, Montreal and Boston are the only teams that the Flyers have a losing record against.

According to the Flyers’ public-relations department, the Flyers have a losing record against the New Jersey Devils and the incarnation of Winnipeg Jets, but only in the time since those franchises moved to their respective locations.

Breakaways. Through a team spokesperson, coach Peter Laviolette said he would only talk about hockey issues; he is suing Bank of America for fraud and seeking at least $3 million……Zac Rinaldo will play his 100th career game Saturday……The Flyers play in Carolina on Sunday at 5 p.m., and Laviolette said his goalie starter for that game is not set in stone…..Hartnell on Ilya Bryzgalov signing a tryout contract with Las Vegas in the ECHL: “Good for him….I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up somewhere (in the NHL) this year.”

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.06.2013

719805 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers notes Voracek not worried about line status

MONTREAL -- After all the success Jake Voracek had with claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell on the top line last season, he's been replaced for now by Brayden Schenn.

The move might be only temporary but it certainly has gotten everyone’s attention on the Flyers.

Voracek had a career-high 22 goals last season in just a 48-game season but coach Peter Laviolette might be trying this to light a fire under Schenn, who responded with a goal on opening night.

“They’re two totally different players, obviously,” Hartnell said. “No offense to Brayden, but Jake is quicker, he gets to loose pucks. Brayden’s good in the corners, and he’s great in front of the net and going to the net.

“Not having many games with him, I think we can do better _ obviously get more chemistry and hopefully it comes down the road.”

Speaking of roads, Voracek is taking the high road on this one.

“(It’s) not disappointing,’’ Voracek said. “I don’t care if I play with G (Giroux) or Sean (Couturier). They are both great players. It’s not up to me where I’m going to be in the lineup. I’m not disappointed at all. I’m excited to be here. I want to help the team to win, whether it’s on G’s line, Vinny’s (Lecavalier) line or Sean’s line.

Facing an old friend

At the morning skate, Hartnell also said he was looking forward to playing against his old pal, Danny Briere.

“We miss Danny B. I’ve been playing with him for years and there was a great chemistry that he and I had,” Hartnell said. “It’s going to be different seeing him in a Canadiens uniform, but after the first couple shifts, I’m sure it’s going to just be a regular game. When he has the puck, you’re going to finish your check and try to get him off the puck.”

As for the old “no friends once the puck drops,’’ Hartnell laughed.

“I don’t know if I want to tangle with him or he doesn’t want to tangle with me,” Hartnell said. “He is a feisty little guy. He definitely goes to the hard areas to score goals . . . and we have to make sure when he’s on the ice, we’re aware of what he can do.”

Short shots

Ray Emery made his season debut in goal for the Flyers. . . . Hartnell on former Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov signing with Las Vegas of the ECHL: “Good for him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up somewhere in the NHL this year.’’ . . . Zac Rinaldo played in his 100th NHL career game.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 10.06.2013

719806 Philadelphia Flyers

Power play continues to sputter as Flyers fall in Montreal

By Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times

Posted: 10/05/13, 10:27 PM EDT | Updated: 4 hrs ago

MONTREAL — Pieces. Stretches. Maybe even a whole period here and there.

The Flyers have played some cohesive, spirited hockey through the season’s first two games, but that effort has come in stale stops and starts rather than a gathering gust of fresh air.

Feeling the breeze of the faster Canadiens for much of Saturday night, the Flyers found a way to occasionally catch up, but eventually fell, 4-1, at Bell Centre.

Third-period goals by Lars Eller — just 12 seconds into the period — and Brendan Gallagher spelled doom for starting goalie Ray Emery and the Flyers, who fall to 0-2 and showed more signs of power-play dysfunction as they face a critical test Sunday in Carolina.

Yes, already.

“It’s a big game for us and a quick turnaround, but we have to be ready,” Brayden Schenn said. “We have to go up there and focus on winning, obviously.”

Maybe they should start by narrowing their focus on actually scoring an even-strength goal. That lofty goal hasn’t been achieved as yet.

“We competed, that’s for sure,” still upbeat Claude Giroux said. “But at the end of the day we need to make the plays better. Obviously, we’ll look at a lot of video. We’re not very happy with our game right now. It has to change.”

On this night, what didn’t go right stopped and started with penalties. Specifically, 11 minors called on the Flyers, translating to nine power play chances for the grateful Canadiens.

“Way too many,” Giroux said. “I guess we put ourselves in that situation. We have to be more disciplined.”

Yes, there’s that. There’s also the rather glaring suspicion that a Flyers team so frequently a step behind often had little choice but get caught cheating a bit.

“We know we can’t be taking nine, 10 or 11 penalties a game,” Schenn said. “You’re not going to win if you’re in the penalty box. We have to be way more disciplined and way more composed. That’s the main thing.”

Vinny Lecavalier, who would briefly give the Flyers third-period life with his first goal for the club, seemed to agree the Flyers were caught chasing the game a bit too much. Just not enough to set off the referees’ whistles so often.

“We had times in the game where we had good shifts or a good sequence, then we’d get a penalty,” Lecavalier said. “Obviously we have to eliminate a few, and a few maybe weren’t great calls. But it’s part of the game.”

Meanwhile, the somewhat unspecial Flyers scored once on five power-play chances. Lecavalier’s goal came at the 9:13 mark and cut the Habs’ lead to two. But the Flyers weren’t done taking penalties so the Canadiens cruised from there.

Emery stopped 30 shots and was generally competent all game, but was undone by Flyers coverage mistakes as usual.

The Habs, faster off the draw and in open ice from the start, jumped into the lead 8:10 into the game when Brian Gionta slipped away from defenseman Mark Streit and jammed a loose puck past Emery.

The Flyers righted themselves late in the first period, and almost tied the game when a Matt Read shot seemed to escape Carey Price’s scrambling clutches. But the refs ruled a whistle had blown to stop play.

Couldn’t shut those dang things off for one reason or another.

“It seemed like the first two periods, every time we got going 5-on-5 it would last two to three minutes and then the penalty killers went back on the ice,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “And after they scored that goal at the start of the third period ... we lost our composure a little bit.”

The Flyers had drawn some momentum and played even-up for much of the second period with the Habs, managing to slow the game down in the process. But that effort went for naught right off the opening drop of the third.

Wayne Simmonds fell down, leading to a rush and scoring chance for Gallagher. His shot went to the backboards, but crafty Eller jumped on the rebound and scored 12 ticks in for 2-0. The Habs then made it 3-0 at the five-minute mark on a Gallagher wrist shot.

Rene Bourque’s power play goal in the final minute closed out the scoring, and left new Canadiens forward Danny Briere feeling somewhat satisfied.

“This was for bragging rights,” Briere said. “I got them tonight, but I know there will be other games down the road.”

Delaware County Times LOADED: 10.06.2013

719807 Philadelphia Flyers

Lecavalier gets star treatment from Montreal fans

By Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times

Posted: 10/05/13, 12:56 PM EDT | Updated: 9 hrs ago

MONTREAL — Over and over again Saturday night, Vinny Lecavalier was welcomed back by his hometown fans in a special way. He was booed every time he touched the puck.

This treatment by Canadiens fans isn’t unusual, but it’s often reserved for those elite players from Quebec who commit the awful crime of not wanting to sign as a free agent with their precious Habs. Lecavalier, who hails from the river island area of Ile Bizard, just west of downtown Montreal, might have done just that last summer after spending 14 seasons in Tampa Bay.

Instead, he chose to replace Danny Briere as the second-line center in Philadelphia, and not long after Briere signed a two-year, $8 million free agent contract with the Canadiens.

So it was not a surprise that the Montreal fans, lovey-dovey these days with Briere, gave Lecavalier the business all game with their well-timed catcalls. Yes, the same song that Briere heard in essentially every visit to Montreal after spurning an offer from the Habs to sign with the Flyers back in 2007.

Fan reaction isn’t anything that should greatly impact the average NHL star player, even those that grow up as Canadiens fans. But there’s no doubt the scrutiny French-Canadian players get as visible stars playing in the blue, white and red sweaters in these parts is more intense than anywhere else.

“Everyone is different with that,” Briere said Friday. “There are players out there (where) it doesn’t affect them. The media pressure just won’t affect them. Other guys would rather stay away from it. They’d rather play in a quiet place and do their job and not be bothered.”

As a gifted goal-scorer who happens to hail from Quebec, Briere said playing in Montreal “works for certain guys and doesn’t work as well for other guys. I really believe it is easier as you get older and get to know yourself better.”

Of course, in those times that a game isn’t going on, hockey fans in Montreal are still interested in how Lecavalier does. So the interest in him leading up to the Flyers’ game Saturday night was high.

That also may have had something to do with Lecavalier’s history against the team he grew up following: In 42 career games against Montreal while with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Lecavalier scored 19 goals and registered 23 assists.

“I think that’s great for Vinny if that’s the case,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “I think everybody likes coming to Montreal. It’s a great building, it’s a great atmosphere for hockey. And with my French name from Massachusetts, I enjoy coming here as well. A U.S. kid doesn’t mind coming here. ... Our guys are always excited to play here.”

Coming in, the Flyers had won their last two games against the Habs, including a 7-3 victory in Montreal last April 15. Having Lecavalier with them now only ramps up the thrill level.

“From the first time I met him in the summer to every day at practice and the games, he certainly brings a veteran presence and leadership,” Laviolette said. “He works hard in practice. I really liked his line in the last game. I think we’ll see results from that at some point. We would have liked to see some more goals last game, but that didn’t happen. I’d like to see them continue to build and develop on the ice. But he’s been terrific for us.”

In another nearby part of the hockey world, there have been legitimate Jaromir Jagr sightings. The ex-Flyer and ex-so many other teams forward, a kid at 41, is now with the Devils and after a preseason wiped out by what he called “general body soreness,” he’s ready to go. How surprising.

“I heard a lot of rumors about how the Devils run their organization,” Jagr said. “I knew there were strict rules everybody has to follow. I don’t mind that at all. Maybe it would be different for me 15 years ago, but I agree with (them).

“I think you’re more selfish when you’re younger. There is more pressure on you. You have to produce. You want to be treated differently. At least that’s the way I was, I guess. Now I see I was wrong.”

NOTES: Ray Emery made his first start of the season against the Habs. ... Laviolette on keeping Jake Voracek on the third line: “I think we’d like to find a balance throughout our lineup. Nothing is set in stone. There are shifts that were given to Jake up with (Claude Giroux) the other night and that will probably be the same thing. We’ll move it around and see if we can find chemistry.”

Delaware County Times LOADED: 10.06.2013

719808 Philadelphia Flyers

Penalties lead to Flyers' unraveling in loss

MONTREAL -- Initially, it was a tight, competitive game in which every ounce of energy seemed spent on puck battles.

No matter how defensively sound you were, there was nothing tangible to see on the scoreboard that showed any kind of reward after two periods.

Goals were again nowhere to be found for the Flyers.

Yet, instead of a climatic final period at Bell Centre against the Canadiens, the entire game disintegrated inside of 12 seconds amid what would be a penalty-filled stanza that turned something positive for the Flyers into a 4-1 Canadiens rout.

Already trailing 1-0, the Flyers were dealt a crushing blow winning a neutral zone faceoff, then Wayne Simmonds falling and losing the puck.

Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher fired a shot wide of the net and the carom came off the back boards at a weird angle right onto Lars Eller’s stick for a backhander in which goalie Ray Emery didn’t have a chance.

That made it 2-0. The goal rattled the Flyers because the game fell apart immediately after.

“They came out 3-on-2 right off the hop and that shouldn’t happen,” defenseman Nick Grossmann said. “Then [the puck] bounced off the wall and bad rebound. Just bad execution off the faceoff. It shouldn’t happen.”